Peters



(No Model.)

A. D. PENFOLD. 0ASB AND PACKAGE SEAL.

No. 352,000. Patented Nov. 2, 1886.

WITNESSES: I v INVENTOR Md- 0 m M 5 N: Pncns Fhulolilhogmphcn Wnhi n nnnn C,

I UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER DERBY PENFOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CASE AND'PACK'AGE' SEAL.

V SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,QO0,-dated November 2, 1886.

Application filed July 27, 1886.

-Z'0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I. ALEXANDER DERBY PENFOLD, of the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Case and Package Seals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact descrip tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference'niarked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is .a perspective view of my caseseal, and Fig. 2 is a section through a case-top, illustrating its application.

It is well known to those shipping goods that they are liable to be tampered with in transit, and that covers to boxes and packingcases after shipment can betaken off and replaced so skillfully that detection is well nigh, if. not quite impossible. The question also arises, when goods have been damaged by wa- 'ter, whether the same occurred before or after shipment, and who is responsible for such damage.

The object of my invention is to prevent the former and to indicate the latter by simple,

cheap, andreliable means,which are novel and highly useful.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter E represents the abutting ends of a case-cover, and A the seal, which is provided at each cor ner thereof with vertical downwardly-inclined projections a, the said projections being formed thereon by bending over and downwardly the V-shaped pointed ends of the seal A. The said ends, which when turned down to form the projections a, (shown in Fig. 1,) are provided each with a sharp tapering point, b, and-one or more barbs, b, cut thereon along the edges thereof. 1

The sides of the seal A are serrated in process of manufacture, to form teeth d,which are bent downward and slightly inward, but substantially at right angles to the body of the seal. The end portions of the seal are provided with entering points a,which are adapted to be driven over the joints of a'loox or casing containing goods packed for transportation. When the said teeth at and barbed end projections, a, have been driven into the wood, as above stated, and as shown in Fig. 2, the

Serial No. 209,273. (No model.)

wood clinches around the barbs b, preventing the seal from being withdrawn without great violence, and ifthus removed will leave decided marks, indicating to thereceiver that the case has been tampered with.

I coat the upper surfaceof the seal A. with a body c6101" soluble in water, preferably with an aniline dye. This coating is applied to detect thereby whether the box or case has been exposed to the rain or brought in contact with water, as if such has been the case the dye upon the seal will spread and stain the surrounding surface to which the seal is applied.

Stamped or stenciled upon or into the upper surface of the seal A, 1 cause a number, D, to be produced, indicating the place at which the goods were packed and shipped.

This is accomplished by numbering the varione large shippingpoints, and having imprinted upon each seal attached to a box forwarded from that point the number designating the especial place.

The projections a of the seal A, I prefer to slant slightly toward the center, or under the top surface thereof, instead of strictly Vertical, as I find in practice they thereby attain a greater purchase upon the wood in which they are entered.

The seal may or may not be provided with barbs, as desired.

The box containing the merchandise to be shipped having been nailed up, one of the seals A is placed over each joint and driven I in the wood. Seals may also be driven in the wood at places where the box is likely to be exposed to water or rain, and will indicate by astain on the wood when same has been so exposed. I bend the teeth of the seal slightly inward, so that when the same are driven into the wood they will be bent farther inward, assuming an inclined position and rendering their withdrawal difficult, and disfigure the wood when withdrawn, or break the seal itself, and will thereby make known the fact that the box has been tampered, with, and will also destroy the surface of the wood when withdrawn, so that it will be impossible to replace the seal so as to conceal the fact that the case has been tampered with.

an ordinary nail or tack; second, that they l ing thereon a dye soluble in water, whereby are very cheap to manufacture; and, third. that they are very effective, accomplishing all of the above purposes, and hence are valuable in trade.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction shown, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I reserve the right in practice to make any changes that fall within the scope of what I now desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent.

I claim- 1. A seal for cases, adapted to be driven in the wood Over the joints of the same, having teeth projecting therefrom, which teeth are bent by said driving to prevent their withdrawal or to disfigure said case when withdrawn, and a nu mbel' thereon. or cut therein, for designating the place where the goods were packed and shipped, whereby tampering with said case is made evident, and the shippingplaee is also displayed at numerous places on said case.

2. A seal essentially such as described, adapted to be placed on a casing or box havthe exposure of such case to rain or water is indicated by a stain upon the wood of said case 3. A seal for cases, having a flat rectangular top or other shape provided with downwardlyinclined end projections, and at the side with downwardly-projecting teeth, the said projections and teeth integral with the said top, such as shown and described, and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination, with a packing box or case, of a seal, A, provided with downwardlyinclined end projections, a, having the barbs b cut therein, and terminal points 11, and the downwardly-prqjecting teeth d, together with a designating-number stenciled thereon or stamped in the top surface of the said seal A, sl'ibstantialiy as herein set forth, and for the purpose described.

Dated New York, July 14, 1.886.

ALEXANDER DERBY PENFOIJ).

Witnesses JOHN ROGERS, \V. A. Jean. 

